Sewing-machine



2 sheets sheet 1.

J. BIGELOW; SEWING MACHINE.

N0. 365,665. Patented June 28, 187.

izaj en-t oza N. PETERS, Phulo-Lilhoxmpbar, Waahinglnn, DLC.

(No Model.) Q 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. r

. J. BIGELOW.

' SEWING'MAGHINE. No. 365,665. Patented June 28, 188'7.

PATENT Fries.

JOHN BIGELOW, or PHILADELPHIA, PnNNsrLyANIA.

SEWING-MACHINE.

I SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,665, dated June 28, 1887,

Application filed April 19, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN BIGELOW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing- Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this speci ica i n.

This invention relates to sewing-machines; and 1t consists of an organized stitch-forming mechanism capable of being driven at the highest rates of speed and by the interlooping of two thrcadsmaking a stitch known as the Grover and Baker.

The practicable speed hitherto for operating double-thread shuttle-machines is from six hundred to fourteen hundred stitches per minute. The crank which operates the needlebar is at the end of the driving-shaft of the machine, on the opposite end of which, counterbalancing the reciprocations of the needlebar, is the balance-wheel of the machine, while the rod carrying my looper is actuated directly by an eccentric or cam having a small throw,'which eccentric or cam is rotated by means of beveled gearing from the drivingshaft of the machine. The end of the rod cnrry- 111g my looper, and opposite to its end secured to and operated by the eccentric, is controlled and governed by a swinging link secured to the frame of the machine and swings in so small a segment of a large are as to practically have only a forward and back movement in a straightline. The point of my looper is situated between the link-connection and eccentric, which situation on the rod causes its movements to be that of an elongated flattened oval. The elongation is at right angles to the feed, and its flattening is'sufficient to cause the looper, in its forward movement, to pass on one side of the sewing-needle, from which t takes a loop, and on its return to pass on the opposite side of the needle, to which'ncedle, on its downward movement, it delivers a loop of its own thread. My looper is so arranged in relation to an opening in the bed- Sorial No. 58,843.

plate of the machine. that it can be easily threaded. Its thread is so controlled by the intermittent action (if a thread-controller as to be tightened just when the needle is about to pass through its ,loop. At this time the thread has been caught by the point of a spreader, over which; in its movements, the looper has swung, and is so spread out as to prevent the sewing-needle from missing its (No model.)

loop, and thus causinga skip in the series of .ing of said needle-thread loop, as before referred to. The needlethread is controlled in a manner somewhat similar to the old Grover and Baker mechanism, but in a new and special combination, while the lower or looper thread is controlled by a tension device and the intermittcnt action of a thread-controller, already referred to. I use the old and wcll-known form of feed mechanism to be found on the Singer sewing-machines, making no claim to its details, and not limiting myself to its use, since others may answer equally well. The needle-bar is connected with the driving mechanism by means of a straight cross head (see Fig. 3) arranged at right angles to its line of reciprocation, and in a slot of said cross-head slides a square block fitted in size to the width of the said slot, said block being fitted to and working on a pin through its center, which pin is fastened to the end of the driving-shaft In order that the invention and the manner I chine, showingthe looper forming mechanism on of carrying the same into effect may be fully understood, the'sjame will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a sectional view of the stitchthe line of the needle. Fig. 2 is a planview of the bottom of the mame hanism and parts. Fig. 3 is aplan view of the needle-bar cross-head, its sliding block, and crank-stud. Figs. 4, 5,6, 7 8, and 9 illustrate the formation of the stitch. Fig. 10 is an an enlarged view of the looper proper, showing its threadholes, grooves between the same, connection with looper-rod, and the connection of the rod with its link. Fig. 11 is an enlarged view showing the interlocking of the threads in the formation of the stitches. Fig. 12 is a diagram to illustrate the passage of the looperpoints about the needle. Fig. 13 is a plan view of the face-plate to illustrate the construction of. the intermittent adjustable tension of the sewing-needle thread.

The same letters innieatc like parts when they occur in the different figures.

v A is the bed-plate of the machine; B, the neck; 0, the face-plate; D, the driving and balance wheel.

E is the driving-shaft of the machine; F, the crank-disk at the end of the shaft E, from which, by means of the stud F, block G, and cross-head H, a vertieal'reciprocating motion isconveyed to .the needle-bar J, Figs. 1 and u, being confined in the necessary bearings, either in the face-plate O or attached to the neck B. The needle S, Figs. 1 and 2, is clamped at S to the end of the needle-bar J. Since the stud F is secured to the crankdisk F out of its true center on the shaft E, each revolution of said shaft causes a reciprocation of the needle-bar J equal to said eccentricity. By means of the equal-sized beveled gears E, attached to the horizontal shaft E, and L, attached to the vertical shaft L, the movements of the shalt E are conveyed through the shaft L down the neck B, through and to the bottom of the bed-plate A, to which the neck B is attached. At the end of the shaft L which projects below the bed-plate A are attached the feed-cams L which operate a feeding device similar to that used on the Singer Family Machine, consisting of the feedlever yoke V lever V incline V, raising incline V, stitch-regulator VZthumb-sercw V, and feed-dog V, Fig. 2.

As I do not lay any claim to the mechanism, and the operation of a four-motion feed is well known, I will not describe the movements of the parts in detail, but refer to them. from time to time, as their movements become essential to the operation of my stitch-forming mechanism.

" Beneath the bed-plate A is the looper-rod M, connected at one of its ends by the crankstud M to the end of the revolving shaft L, from which it receives its motion, and at its other end it is adjustably secured, as at M", to

t}? is connected by the stud P the looper-block 1?, Figs. 1, 2, 10, which block to the link N, {which in turn swings on the stud N in the cd-plate A. 1 Between the ends 1? and M of the looperd M is the looper 1%, attached to the looperlock P by pin B and screw RI, or other suitable manner, with its working-point R pointi'ng toward the stud M. The looper R,being thus connected with and attached to the looperrod M, necessarily conforms in its movements to that of the rod. Now, the rod M atits end connected by the crank-pin M with the revolving shaft L has a circular motion, and at its end connected by the stud P with the link N has a reciprocating movement. The point R of thelooper R is between the studs M and P, but nearest the stud P, and moves on the line of a flattened or elongated oval, by which movement it passes alternately on either side of the sewing-needle S, whose line of vertical reciprocation is substantially the center of the oval. Thislillustrate by the diagram, Fig. 12, in which linesN represent the link swinging on a stationary point, N, M is attached at one of its ends, as at P", and at its other and opposite end at M. The point B shows the relations of the looper-point to the ends of its rod M. When the end of rod M has reached a point marked M, its other end will be at a point indicated by P and the looperpoint at the place indicated at It. When the end of the rod M has moved from M to M, the other end has come from P to F" and the looper-point to B. \Vhen the end of the rod is at M', its other end is at I" and the looper at It. When the end of rod M is at M, the other end is again at 1", but the looper-point is at It. Finally, the end of the rod M having returned to M, its opposite end is again at P and the looper-point again at It;

The dotted line I R It R shows the path of, the looper-point R and the elongated oval, to which I have referred; also, the point S shows the relation of the needle to the same. The looper' B has a reversed sinuous curved outline. It is secured to the block P at It and It", and above has a long needle-like projection with thread-holes at R and R and between them, on one side,agroove forthe thread. On its outer and upper edge, Fig. 10, between the point-s R and 1%, it has a concave outline, R, while on its lower outline, as show-n on the drawings, is formed a swell at It". Beyond 1% the looper ends in a point.

In the drawings, 2 represents the needlethread,aud m the lower or looper thread. The needle-thread z is controlled by the tensiondisks y, Fig. 1, the take-up spring 3 the support for which is shown cut off at the top, the guide y", which is at the top of the needle bar and follows its movements. From the guide 3 the thread passes through the opening 1 in the spring 3 whichis attached to the piece 3/, which in turn is attached to the top of the needle-bar J and follows the reciprocations of said bar. After passing through the opening to which link the rod IIO 1 the thread passes beneath the end of the spring y, where itpresses at i on the piece y, thence through a guide on the turned-up end of if and down to and through the needle S. The spring 3 has a projection, 3/, on its side,which extends out and over an adjustable piece, 1

havingan inclined plane, 3 which piece 3 is attached to the face-plate O of the machine. \Vhen the necdle-bar is down, the projection 3 is relieved from pressure on its under side, and the thread z is pinched at y between the end of the spring y and the piece 3 and atcnsion additional to that of the tension I; placed upon the needle-thread. As the needle-bar rises the projection y is pressed up, when it meets the-inclined plane y and the pressure on the thread 2 is relieved. The lower or looper thread, :0, passes between the disks W, and thence through the bed-plate at W, Fig. l, to a ring or eye, 0, in the thread-controller O, Fig. 2. Itpassesthrough said ring or eye 0 to and through the thread-hole R in the looper It, along the grooved side of said looper, and finally through the thread-hole B.

On the under side of the needle throat-plate, and a little in advance of the line of its perforation by the needle, is the thread-spreader T, Figs. 1 and 2.

The presser-foot is shown at K, Fig. 1.

The thread-controller O is attached to the bed plate A at O, and bears at its opposite end against a pin, 0 in said bed plate. It has an eye, 0, through which the thread passes. This thread-controller is operated by a pin, N", in the link N, which strikes it and presses it forward toward the direction in which the looper R is being moved, which is toward the tension W. Its movement is begun just as the looper-point R passes the needle. Since it receives its forward movement from the link N, it follows it back on its return movement, assisted by the agency of a spring, and tightens the thread just as it has been caught on the spreader T and before the needle has passed through the loop, when the action of the pressure from link N uponit ceases, although link N itself swings still far ther back. Since the controller stops and the looper is drawn still farther back toward it, the thread 00 is loosened sufficiently to allow the needle to set up its thread z-that is, take up its own back loop.

The operation of the machine in the formation of the stitch is as follows: The material to be sewed having been placed between the presser-foot K and the work-plate A of the machine, and the needle in the bar J having descended to its lowest. point, and the spring y having passed off from the inclined plane 11 pinching the upper thread, a, at 3 the needle beginning to rise, the spring holding the thread 2 at f causes it to rise with the needle and throw out a loop, Fig. 4:. \Vith the risingof the needle the looper R is timed to move forward. It passes through the needle-loop on the front side of the needle, as

shown in the drawings, sufficiently far for said loop when the needle is at its highest elevation to have slipped over the swell R, as shown in Fig. 5, when the looper-thread a: has the position shown in said figure. At tlHS time the looper-point It is passing the positlon I?! in the diagram, Fig. 12. As. it swings around its thread 00 is caught on the point of the spreader T. Vith the rising of the needlebar .I the pressure on the needle-thread z is relieved by the'lifting of the spring from the piece y at 9 as the projection 51 rides up the incline at y. The material being sewed 1s fed forward when the needle has been lifted free from the work. After the needle be: gins to descend and has pierced through the work, and the looper slightly drawn back, the relation of the needle and looper will appear, as shown in Fig. 6. The looper is now back of the needle, instead of in front, as in Fig. 4:. Its loop is drawn around the spreader T, and the needle loop is drawn in an opposite direction by theswell It on the looper B. This secures the positive passage of the needle through a loop of the looper-thread, as is shown, while the needle has descended lower and the looper has drawn still farther back in Fig. 7. The looper having drawn back clear of the needle draws its thread off from the spreader T and leaves it around. the needle S; also frees itself from the needle-thread loop, as is shown at Fig. 8. At this time the needlethread a is pinched, as described at y", and no more thread given off. As the needle descends still lower it must receive a threadsupply from some source, and obtains it by drawingnp its own long loop (shown at :4, Fig. 8) to the position shown in Fig. 9, and the stitch is formed. As the needle rises and the looper movesfon ward the position of the parts sh wu in Fig. 4 is again assumed, the looper pissing a loop of its own thread through a loop of the needle cession the needle passes a loop of its own.

thread through a loop of the looper-thread, which again is taken by the looper and aseries of stitches formed, -as shown by Fig. 11. p

In my application filed August 7, 1883, Se rial No. 103,057, some features now shown and referred to are shown, and I do not propose to claim any such as new in this case.

It will be observed that the looper R is arranged to point toward the crank by which the looper-bar is operated. This rrangement is of importance, as the looper being thus brought nearer to the forward end of the machine than if it were arranged to point in the opposite direction it can be more conveniently threaded. It also better insures the engagement of the loop with the loop-spreader and permits the latter to be placed more out of the way of the feed. The forward end of the looper-rod M, instead of being carried by the swinging link N, may be pivoted to a slide, which can be arranged to reciprocate in guides arranged longitudinally of the bed plate of the machine, in which case the forward end of the IOO I arrangement shown.

. I looper-rod will move in a rectilinear path, instead of describing a curved path, as in the It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that these two constructions'will be substantial cquivalentsf I claim-- V v 1. A looper .heltlbotwecn two operative bear1ngs,one of which has a circular movement and the other a reciprocating movement, in combination with mechanism to actuate said. bearings, and with a reciprocating needle, substantially as described. 2. The combination, with the reciprocating needle operated by a crank on the drivingshaft,. of a looper held between two movable bearings, one of which has a circular movement and the other a reciprocating movement,

- saidl looper being arranged to point in the direel1on of ms operative crank, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 3.- In a sewing-machine, a looper hung between two operative bearings, one of which has a circular movement and-the other a iel ciprocating movement, said looper moving in an elliptical path around the line of movement of the needle, in combination witha reciproeating needle, suitably-connected cranks for operating the looper and the needle,"andmechanism for operating said cranks at auniformthread-controller O, and the reciprocating needle, substantially as describetl In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

inv presence of two witnesses. I

JOHN BIGELOW.

\Vitnessev G. 'W, 'iElALLooI-I, L. DEANE. 

